Numismatics versus Philately
Philately is a relatively modern hobby because stamps and other philatelic items are relatively modern creations. In contrast, coins and other forms of currency have been around for literally thousands of years and there is historic evidence that the collection and study of currency – known as numismatics – has also been around for a very long time.
Despite that great age difference between the two hobbies, numismatic exhibiting – especially competitive exhibiting – is much less organised and consistent than its philatelic cousin. Most numismatic clubs in Australia seldom, if ever, hold competitions. Displays are usually at the club level and are often more akin to a ‘show and tell’ format.
Perhaps part of the reason for the difference between the two hobbies is the absence of a national or international coordinating body for numismatics. Such a body could provide consistency in rules and judging criteria, panels of jurors and appropriate training for those jurors. Perhaps one of the existing numismatic organisations could take on the coordinating role, or a new body could be established for the purpose.
Mandurah 2010 Fair
Mandurah 2010 Stamp, Coin, Banknote and Postcard Fair ‘Mandurah 2010’ Fair was a first of its kind for Australia, bringing together the four fields of stamps, coins, banknotes and postcards for a competitive exhibition open to the public. Mandurah 2010 was a joint effort by Mandurah Philatelic Society (Inc.) and Peel Region Numismatic Group; more than 2000 people attended the event.
There were four panels of jurors to assess the entries in each field, with prizes awarded in each category. For those unfamiliar with the judging process –
• jurors usually work in teams of three;
• jurors individually assess each of the displays assigned to their team, recording an initial score for each criterion plus any notes or comments on a Rating Sheet provided for the purpose;
• the three jurors then discuss their assessments and together work towards a consensus score for each display. The final scores are recorded on a Critique Sheet, which is given to the exhibitor when their display is returned to them;
• there is a process to follow if consensus is not reached; and
• prizes are awarded according to total points scored (out of a possible 100 points).
The six numismatic jurors together established a set of exhibiting rules and judging criteria by adopting or adapting rules and criteria used by various numismatic and philatelic organisations. Those six jurors received training from several people well-experienced in the field of philatelic judging. As part of their training, the six trainees were each required to develop a numismatic display of their own, which gave them an appreciation of the time and effort involved plus several displays on which the six could practice their fledgling judging skills.
The nine numismatic criteria and points system established for Mandurah 2010 are still in use today. Those criteria are:
Title and Scope (5 points)
The title should be logical and obvious. Where necessary, the exhibitor should provide an explanation of what he or she intends to display.
Basic Numismatic Information (15 points)
The numismatic details of the exhibited items should be described in a manner appropriate to the title and scope of the exhibit. Details should provide answers to the questions that a numismatist is likely to ask when viewing the exhibit. Examples might include: mint and mintage; composition, dimensions, designer, engraver, variety identification.
Special Numismatic Information (15 points)
Sufficient additional information should be provided to answer the questions that a general viewer is likely to ask when viewing the exhibit. Examples might include: historic, geographic, biographic, economic, artistic, bibliographic details.
Creativity and Originality (15 points)
The exhibit should be novel and imaginative.
Attractiveness (10 points)
The exhibit should be neat, well designed and eye-catching. The colour scheme should be pleasing, effective and appropriate to the title and scope. The title and text should be easy to read.
Balance (10 points)
The numismatic items, information and related materials in the exhibit should be balanced and relevant to the title and scope. Factors that can affect balance include the size of items, a cluttered appearance, or by having too little or too much text.
Completeness (10 points)
The exhibit should present all numismatic material necessary and appropriate to support the title and scope. Allowances should be made for lack of material that is not readily available to collectors or for which there is insufficient space to exhibit.
Degree of Difficulty (10 points)
The exhibit should demonstrate dedication to collecting, in that the materials or related information were challenging to assemble or present. Examples might include: rare pieces, new research, or a collection that took years to assemble.
Condition (10 points)
The numismatic material should be the best that is reasonably available to the exhibitor. The exhibitor might wish to state relevant information about availability, for the benefit of viewers and judges.
A ‘Tips on the Rating Criteria” pamphlet provided additional information for jurors and exhibitors about each of the numismatic criteria. That pamphlet can be downloaded from our Links & Downloads page.
Creating Numismatic Displays
The first thing to consider is the topic for your display. When choosing the topic you need to consider a few things:
• What are the topics that interest you?
• What items do you already have in your collection that could be used in your display?
• Do you have a sufficient quantity and range of items to adequately cover your chosen topic?
You will need to do some research on your topic. Gather as much relevant information as you can, then work out how to present it. You will need to fit the text around the items in your display. Print out draft pages of text on ordinary paper then experiment with ways to fit the text and items in the display case or on the pages.
The purpose of an exhibit can influence its content and layout. Displays for competitions usually have to follow specific rules regarding content while a display created for public interest can be more informal and perhaps contain less detailed information.
The next thing to consider is how much space you will have for your display and whether it will be shown in an upright display frame or a tabletop display case. Upright frames usually hold fifteen or sixteen pages each and the exhibition rules might permit or require you to develop a display that covers more than one frame. Table top cases can hold fewer pages than a frame and exhibitors are usually limited to one case per display.
As a general guide, frames are used for banknote displays and cases are used for coin displays. This might seem restrictive, but it avoids the need to use an adhesive to mount each coin. In upright frames, banknotes are usually mounted using photo corners, which are not suitable for coins. Frames contain rows of channels to hold the display pages in place. The standard space between each row is about 1.5 cm less than the height of an A4 page, so leave a margin of at least 2 cm at the top and bottom of each page then cut 1.5 cm off the top of each page after you print them out. The bottom margin will guide you to not print or mount anything in that area, which could be obscured or damaged by the mounting channel.
When using a display case, put a piece of felt or anti-slip matting cut to size in the base of the case. This will help keep your display items in place. For small coins or where the design details are important elements of your display, consider taking a high-resolution scan of each coin and putting an enlarged colour printout beside each coin (perhaps accompanied by some descriptive text).
When creating a display for a frame, don’t use standard paper of 80 gsm because it is not stiff enough to hold the additional weight of the mounted notes and is likely to curl up in the frame. Heavier paper of at least 120 gsm costs a little more but is worth the extra expense. You can mount your notes straight on to the page, or mount them on to plain or coloured card (which you can then attach to your page). Using card will make it easier for you to rearrange your items until you achieve the effect that you want.
If space is limited, you can overlap some notes, but avoid creating a crowded appearance. Using photo corners takes a little practice, which is best done with ordinary notes from your wallet or purse. Use a clear plastic ruler to measure the spaces between each item and the text, also to help keep your photo corners aligned properly.
If you are using a computer to prepare your display then consider using text boxes for some of the descriptions. The text boxes can be moved around your page without interfering with your formatting.
Write your name and the page number on the back of each completed page, and then put each page in a clear protector sheet. The page numbering will ensure that your display is mounted in the correct order, while the clear sheet will protect your work.
Creating a display takes time, patience and experimentation. So don’t leave it to the last minute.